Have You Heard of This National Event?

May 8th, 2013 - National Bike To School Day

Have you heard of this national event, being promoted by schools and bicycle industry businesses all around the nation?  This is the day that kids from all over the United States get to ride their bikes to school together; a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together, guiding our young bicycle riders to find the safe paths for them to take to school, in addition to demonstrating the most basic ways they can practice safety while on a bicycle.

While learning to ride a bike is one of the most memorable milestones of childhood, we often forget to properly instruct children on the ways they can be safe while enjoying their ride around town.  

The League of American Bicyclists has a great list of how-to tips for grown-ups when teaching the little people in their lives how to ride, especially this May, as we specifically pay attention to the preventative ways we can promote bike safety to children.

While some of these tips may seem obvious, they are still good reminders not to take any aspect of bicycle safety for granted, especially when it comes to helping our kids stay safe:

When

Once a child can hold their head up and fit a helment, they can be a passenger.  

Until about age five, kids should ride in a child seat, or better yet, a trailer. 

Kids need basic motor skills to operate a bike.

Traffic

Explain to kids how traffic works; they have only been passengers.

Teach them about yielding, passing, predicting and traffic law.

Bicycle riders have to obey the same rules as cars and buses.

Helmets

Let them pick out their helmet and they will want to wear it; wear yours also.

Make sure that the helmet fits the child properly; level on the head and snug.

Replace the helmet after a crash.

Training Wheels

Training wheels help the child develop a sense of balance.

Start with the training wheels solidly on the ground; they will hold the bike upright.

Gradually raise the training wheels; remove them when they start to get in the way.

Balance

Practice balancing in an open field or vacant parking lot.

Have the child practice riding in circles as well as in a straight line.

Show them how to use the brakes; get them to skid the rear wheel.

Starting and Stopping

Children should learn to stop before entering the roadway.

Look left, then right, then left again before proceeding.

Driveways, sidewalks and crosswalks are potential danger zones.

Riding Straight

Use a painted line in a parking lot.

Straight-line riding will allow drivers to predict what the child will do.

Predictability is important in any traffic situation; kids don't know this.

Scanning and Signaling

Have the child ride straight and look back at you without swerving.

Children must scan for traffic in front of them as well as behind before signaling.

Teach them how to signal right, left and stop and when to do it.

Neighborhood Ride

Plan a ride with your child around your neighborhood and discuss possible dangers.

Allow your child to lead.

Include them in the planning of the ride.

Transportation Choices

Bikes are vehicles; this is their introduction to driver's training.

Plan a route with your child to get them to a friend's house or school by bike.

At about 10, kids are ready for longer trips; make sure they make safe decisions.

At BikeNSafetyPromos, we take bicycle safety very seriously, but we make it fun for kids.  Check out our variety of promotional safety lights, bells, repair kits and much more!  

You may also want to read: LED Safety Lights Praised For Ease, Safety, and Cost Effectiveness.